just curious, why do they call it a "swap"? Isn't it just an insurance policy?

(I always have to draw the cash flow map in my head.

I pay cash to a risky somebody on credit, hoping I make some interest. I also pay for an insurance policy (a hedge?) for if the debtor defaults. If my debtor defaults, my insurance policy pays me the cash instead. Something like that.

Is life insurance a swap? Like, if I die, my family swaps me for some cash?)

Reply to this note

Please Login to reply.

Discussion

It is absolutely an insurance contract. You are swapping the risk of default.

I

The funny thing about a CDS is that it’s like buying fire insurance on someone else’s home. Wonder what that does to your incentives 🤔

In traditional insurance, you typically have an “insurable interest”, meaning you’re buying fire insurance on the place YOU live in

I need to draw a new mental map now... 🙂

Hopefully I'm worth more alive than any swaps that may have been put (pulled? taken?) on me...

This is a great analogy.